Bessie was born to Henry Austin and Jennie Corbett. Bessie is described by her sister, Myrtle, in an autobiography as having been not quite right from birth. Myrtle describes Bessie as being handicapped and partially paralyzed on her left side. Bessie's mother placed her in the Lincoln State School and Colony when Bessie was nine years old (about 1896). This was done due to the fact that Henry was away from home working and Jennie was indeed a frail woman unable to keep the house up and care for all the children alone. Bessie attended school at the State home and spent some summers with the family but she longed to return to the State Home because she missed her friends and classmates at the institution. Myrtle describes Bessie as being a lovely girl with dark brown eyes and chestnut colored hair that fell in natural ringlets. 1900 US Census records show Bessie at both the institution and at home. Jennie's heart was broken as the family moved from city to city away from visiting distance from the institution. The family finally moved back to Bloomington, Illinois and Jennie came down with tuberculosis and died. Bessie's niece Lottie Marlowe (Myrtle's daughter) indicated that she doesn't recall anyone visiting Bessie at the School after that nor was there ever much mention of her existence. Bessie had one brother, Edward and one sister, Myrtle. On December 31, 1900, Bessie's mother died. Her father needed surgery for a back injury & hernia and he subsequently died after the operation as a result of ether pneumonia. Her brother Edward was out on his own leaving only 10 year old Myrtle as the closest relative of Bessie. After Jennie's death, Myrtle and Henry moved into a boarding house that was operated by Ma Hire. Myrtle, now an orphan, stayed at the boarding house and Bessie remained in the Lincoln State School. When Myrtle married at age 19, her husband refused to allow Bessie to stay with them since he viewed Bessie's condition as an embarrassment for his family. From that time on, Bessie was pretty much detached from any resemblance of her family and remained in the Illinois School for Feeble Minded Children & Lincoln State School and Colony until her death in 1937.
Bessie was born to Henry Austin and Jennie Corbett. Bessie is described by her sister, Myrtle, in an autobiography as having been not quite right from birth. Myrtle describes Bessie as being handicapped and partially paralyzed on her left side. Bessie's mother placed her in the Lincoln State School and Colony when Bessie was nine years old (about 1896). This was done due to the fact that Henry was away from home working and Jennie was indeed a frail woman unable to keep the house up and care for all the children alone. Bessie attended school at the State home and spent some summers with the family but she longed to return to the State Home because she missed her friends and classmates at the institution. Myrtle describes Bessie as being a lovely girl with dark brown eyes and chestnut colored hair that fell in natural ringlets. 1900 US Census records show Bessie at both the institution and at home. Jennie's heart was broken as the family moved from city to city away from visiting distance from the institution. The family finally moved back to Bloomington, Illinois and Jennie came down with tuberculosis and died. Bessie's niece Lottie Marlowe (Myrtle's daughter) indicated that she doesn't recall anyone visiting Bessie at the School after that nor was there ever much mention of her existence. Bessie had one brother, Edward and one sister, Myrtle. On December 31, 1900, Bessie's mother died. Her father needed surgery for a back injury & hernia and he subsequently died after the operation as a result of ether pneumonia. Her brother Edward was out on his own leaving only 10 year old Myrtle as the closest relative of Bessie. After Jennie's death, Myrtle and Henry moved into a boarding house that was operated by Ma Hire. Myrtle, now an orphan, stayed at the boarding house and Bessie remained in the Lincoln State School. When Myrtle married at age 19, her husband refused to allow Bessie to stay with them since he viewed Bessie's condition as an embarrassment for his family. From that time on, Bessie was pretty much detached from any resemblance of her family and remained in the Illinois School for Feeble Minded Children & Lincoln State School and Colony until her death in 1937.
